Healthier Canapes .....

I am realising that Pampered Chef has a slight reptutation for being all about the pastry and cheese! I am wanting to say now that I do plenty of low fat recipes and really will have a go at most things!

Recently with Caroline and friends in Sevenoaks we made delicious Thai mango chilli and lime cups and then these mushrooms (I know I have made these before.......and yes they have some cheese! )


Thai Mango Chilli and Lime Cups

Ingredients

• 1 mango
• 1 red chilli
• ½ red onion
• handful coriander leaves
• juice 1 lime
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 32 mini croustade cups

1. Mix the mango, red chilli, red onion and a handful coriander leaves, then mix with the lime juice and sweet chilli sauce. Season.
2. Divide between 32 mini croustade cups (in the supermarket bakery area) and serve within 1 hr so they'll be firm. Or better still cut  a packet of tortilla wraps into squares, then quarters and then using the mini tart shaper arrange in the mini muffin tin! cook these after spraying with a little olive oil for about 6-8 mins for crispy shells.

Cheese & Herb Stuffed Mushrooms

These bite-sized mushrooms are filled with a cheesy filling, then baked to perfection on the Medium Bar Pan.

18-20 white closed cup mushrooms (about 550g total weight)
Olive Oil for spraying
225g full fat soft cheese with garlic and herbs
55g walnuts, finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely chopped
25g prosciutto finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
25g fresh Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees, 180/Gas 6. Remove stems from mushrooms, discard stems.  Place mushrooms in Stainless 4 litre Mixing Bowl. Lightly spray with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer, toss gently to coat.  Place mushroom caps, rounded-side down, on Medium Bar Pan.

2.  Place soft cheese in Classic Batter Bowl. Finely chop walnuts on Cutting Board using Food Chopper.  Finely chop spring onion and finely dice prosciutto using Santoku Knife.  Add walnuts, spring onion, prosciutto, breadcrums, parsley and herb seasoning to batter bowl.  Grate parmesan into bowl using Deluxe Cheese Grater fitted with fine grating drum; mix well.

3.  Using Small Scoop, place rounded scoop of cheese mixture on centre of each mushroom cap; flatten slightly.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.  Place pan on stackable Cooling Rack; transfer mushroom caps to serving platter using Mini-Serving Spatula. Serve Hot.

Makes 18-20 stuffed mushrooms

JANUARY 2013 - HUGE STONEWARE SALE AND DOUBLE HOST POINTS

Hot off the press!

If you have always had your eye on some of the amazing Pampered Chef saucepans, the executive non-stick or the stainless steel pans or maybe a forged steel knife - you need to host a party in January! Coffee morning, brunch or lunch show or if you prefer an evening with some friends! But this is the time with double host points where you can earn yourself one of our expensive lifetime guarantee products that you have always WANTED......FOR FREE!

German Forged Steel knives - lifetime guarantee! 

I have the full set of non stick executive saucepans and love them! just one wipe and they are clean, lovely long handle and go in the oven when I am grilling cheese on an omelette or making a chilli or stew!!

The Great British Bake Off!

The Bake off was a great success! My group was the winning team and I thoughly enjoyed the competition. My group made the chocolate and raspberry trifle. We all had a go at most stages in the recipe and even though we were running desperately short of cooking/prep time, we seemed to impress Mary and Paul the judges! It was quite intimidating the judges watching over us as we were putting our recipe together, but I think it helped us get on and made us concentrate harder. I t was rather nerve racking waiting for the results becaue the other groups had made other delicous plates of food and it looked like a hard decision. Sophie Banks age 10

Christmas Shopping for all those foodies!

Christmas Stollen Ring  CHRISTMAS SHOPPING THE EASY WAY! Just sit back, sip your coffee or glass of mulled wine.... and do your christmas shopping from the comfort of your sofa! No queues, no parking problems..... its so much easier! There is no shipping to pay as long as you live in a 7 mile radius of Edenbridge! You have till Wednesday 12th December MIDNIGHT to get all your order placed and it will be delivered in time for wrapping up for christmas! Hosted in the last year? REMEMBER your 10% off discount anything you purchase from Pampered Chef! Spend over 45 pounds and you will have a choice of a fab free gift too! details online. just click now on : http://www.pamperedchef.biz/jobanks?page=host-search results&showId=3929735 HAPPY SHOPPING! Sincerely, Jo Banks Your Consultant joanne.banks@me.com 01732860509 07909774893

My Creative Diva - Famous at last!

Here I am....Famous at last in My Creative Diva an online magazine for busy woman doing lots of creative things - right up your street? check it out on http://www.my-creativediva.co.uk/

Friday night, in with the girls!

Fab Friday night, wine, food and friends...... great combination!

We had sundried tomato, pesto baked camembert all ready to dig into (literally with our toast) and roasted red pepper and sun-dried tomato tapenade.... these recipes are earlier in my blog! Check out 'The Mary Berrys of Oxford'

As promised here are the other recipes from the night:

Hot Broccoli Dip

175g broccoli florets                                                55g onion

55g red pepper                                                        25g fresh parmesan cheese

1 clove of garlic                                                       115g cheddar cheese

4 tbsp mayonnaise                                                 black pepper

4 tbsp half fat crème fraiche or sour cream         large packet of tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 190C / Gas 5.

Chop broccoli, onion and red pepper using food chopper and place in classic batter bowl.

Grate parmesan cheese and add 2 tbsp to vegetable mixture.

Press garlic and add to bowl along with remaining ingredients.

Mix well.

Spoon into Mini Baker.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese over the top and serve with tortilla chips.                                                            

Cheese & Herb Stuffed Mushrooms

These bite-sized mushrooms are filled with a cheesy filling, then baked to perfection on the Medium Bar Pan.

18-20 white closed cup mushrooms (about 550g total weight)
Olive Oil for spraying
225g full fat soft cheese with garlic and herbs
55g walnuts, finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely chopped
25g prosciutto finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
25g fresh Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees, 180/Gas 6. Remove stems from mushrooms, discard stems.  Place mushrooms in Stainless 4 litre Mixing Bowl. Lightly spray with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer, toss gently to coat.  Place mushroom caps, rounded-side down, on Medium Bar Pan.

2.  Place soft cheese in Classic Batter Bowl. Finely chop walnuts on Cutting Board using Food Chopper.  Finely chop spring onion and finely dice prosciutto using Santoku Knife.  Add walnuts, spring onion, prosciutto, breadcrums, parsley and herb seasoning to batter bowl.  Grate parmesan into bowl using Deluxe Cheese Grater fitted with fine grating drum; mix well.

3.  Using Small Scoop, place rounded scoop of cheese mixture on centre of each mushroom cap; flatten slightly.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.  Place pan on stackable Cooling Rack; transfer mushroom caps to serving platter using Mini-Serving Spatula. Serve Hot.

Makes 18-20 stuffed mushrooms


Remember STAYING IN IS THE NEW GOING OUT..... See you all soon!

Cancer Research Fundraiser - Emma's House

Hello Ladies, thanks again  for supporting Emma's Cancer Research fundraiser! We raised about 100 pounds for Cancer Research, just over 80 pounds on the orders and then about 20 pounds on our little games! Still haven't drawn the winner yet as I have one more fundraiser to do early November and I want to fill the Squares sheet up too, so its a fab 50 pounds to the winner on Pampered Chef!
As promised here are the recipes from the evening. You have got to try these yorkshires and let me know how you get on. All it is.... 250ml prep bowl of flour, 250ml prep bowl of milk, and 3 eggs!  Have a go in your seasoned stone and they 'come up like the pubs', and low fat!

Raspberry and Chocolate trifle..... Emma forgot to ask about this the next day, its always in my opinion, more delicious when the amaretti biscuits soak in, GORGOUS! and how quickly did that BALLOON WHISK WORK - WE HAD WHIPPED CREAM IN UNDER 10 secs, remember take the cream from the fridge at least an hour or even better 2 before you whip it!

RASPBERRY AND CHOCOLATE TRIFLE - Perfect for the non christmas pudding ladies! and of course the chocoholics.....

600ml milk

2 packets vanilla flavour dessert mix

500ml double cream, divided

300g milk or plain chocolate chips (a mix is nice)

1 jar (340g) seedless raspberry jam, divided

600g frozen raspberries, defrosted

400g amaretti

*********************************

1.In MIXING BOWL combine milk (measured with EASY READ MEASURING CUPS) and dessert mixes. 

2.Using STAINLESS WHISK, whisk thoroughly until light and creamy;  Leave to thicken for 5 minutes.

3.Meanwhile reserve 125ml of the cream in MEASURE ALL CUP.  Whip remaining cream in ANOTHER BOWL using STAINLESS DOUBLE BALLOON WHISK until cream forms soft peaks. 

4.Gently fold whipped cream into dessert mixture using SILICONE SCRAPERS.  Cover and refrigerate.

5.For ganache, combine chocolate chips, reserved cream and half of the jam in MICROWAVE BOWL. 

6.Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH for 40-60 seconds or until melted, stirring after every 20 second interval.  Stir until smooth and combined.  Reserve 4 tablespoons in PREP BOWL for decoration. 

7.Remaining.  Set aside.

8.Place remaining jam into another prep bowl.  Microwave, uncovered, on high for 30-60 seconds or until melted. 

9. Place raspberries into CLASSIC BATTER BOWL.  Pour Jam over raspberries; stir gently using BAMBOO SPOONS. 

10.Set aside 16 amaretti for decoration; break remaining amaretti into pieces on the CHOPPING BOARD.

11. TO ASSEMBLE.  Place one third of the broken biscuits into bottom of TRIFLE BOWL.  Layer one third of the raspberry mixture over amaretti.  Top with one third of the creamy dessert mixture and one third or the ganache.  Repeat layers two more times, finishing with a smooth layer of ganache using the SMALL SPREADER if necessary.

12.

Dip reserved whole amaretti halfway into reserved ganache; place into top of the trifle to decorate.  Serve.

Cancer Research Fundraiser

Raised over 100 pounds at Hilary's fantastic Cancer Research Fundraiser, well done girls!

We had goats cheese and caramelised onion tarts in the deluxe mini muffin pan, check out my personal website for loads of recipes:
http://www.pamperedchef.biz/jobanks?page=news-detail&featureId=592943

Here is the recipe for the plait or ring:

Mediterranean Chicken Ring


2 pkg. Pillsbury crescent rolls


1 pkg. "recipe ready" chicken breast (or some cooked, cooled chicken)


1/2 red onion


1 red pepper


1/2 cup Kalamata olives


1 8oz. container crumbled feta cheese


1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained well


2 cloves garlic



Lay out the crescents into a circle with the points out. Roll center of circle a bit to make it into 1 flat piece. Chop veggies and chicken. Put garlic through a garlic press. Mix everything up and spread onto the crescent rolls. Pull the points of the crescents up over the filling and tuck into centre.

Bake 25 minutes at 375

Hilary's fab pink cupcakes, expertly decorated with the easy accent decorator!